Music-leaf turner.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

J. P. SESSEMAN.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER. APPLIOATION FILED 1320.5. 1007. 2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

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No. 891,106. PATENTED TUNE 16, 1908.

J. P. sBssEMAN.

MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

JOSHUA P. SESSEMAN, OF FOREST GROVE, OREGON.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA P. SEssEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing` at Forest Grove, in the county of I/Vashington and State ofOregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-LeafTurners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in music leaf turners.

The object of the invention is to provide a music leaf turner adapted tobe attached to a piano and to be operated by means of pedals engaged bythe feet of the player, thereby leaving the hands entirely free forplaying.

With this object in view, the invention consists of certain novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe fully described hereinafter and parh ticularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional viewthrough a piano showing the application of the invention thereto; Fig. 2is a detail sectional view through the music supporting shelf showingthe arrangement of a portion of the operating mechanism; Fig. 3 is asimilar view through the same parts and through the operating mechanismarranged therein Fig. 3a is a sectional view through the means foractuating the main operating shafts; Fig. 4 is a front view, partly insection of the parts shown in Fig. 3a; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of theupper ends of the leaf turning shafts showing the manner in which theleaf turning arms are connected thereto 5 Fig. 6 is a perspective viewof the parts shown in Fig. 5,

ig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1, showing aplan view of the operating pedals. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional viewthrough the lower ends of the arm operating shafts 8 and 9, and theupper ends of the stub shaft 4 and short tubular shaft 6.

In the embodiment of the invention I provide a fiat rectangular casing,1, which is arranged in the center of the piano and eX- tends rearwardlyinto the same and is seated in a recess formed therefor in the usualmusic supporting strip 2 of the piano. The outer endof the casing 1 isdisposed below and immediately in front of the fall board. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 5, 1907.

Patented June 16, 1908.

Serial No. 405,256.

casing comprises upper and lower longitudinally disposed metal plates,the outer ends of the upper plate being bent down to form the ends ofthe casing or frame 1. The upper and lower plates of the casing arespaced apart and suitably connected midway between their ends by a bolt,3, around which is arranged a spacing sleeve.

In the upper and lower plates of the casing 1, adjacent to their outerends are formed bearing apertures in which is revolubly mounted a shortstub shaft, 4, in the upper end of which is formed a squared socket, 5.Around the shaft 4 and loosely mounted thereon and in the bearingapertures of the 'l casing 1 is a short tubular shaft or sleeve, 6, theupper end of which is squared and pioliects above the upper plate of thecasing 1. The upper end of the tubular shaft 6 and the upper end of thestub shaft 4, in which is formed the socket, 5, are further braced bylmeans of an apertured bearing plate, 7,

which is secured to the upper side of the music leaf supporting strip,2.

Adapted to be engaged with the socket 5 in the upper end of the shaft 4is an upwardly projecting arm-supporting shaft, 8, which is preferablyrectangular in cross section and is adapted to project upwardly in frontof and parallel to the desk of the piano. Around the shaft 8 is arrangeda tubular shaft or sleeve, 9, in the lower end of which is formed asquared socket, 10, which is adapted to be engaged with the squaredupper end of the short tubular shaft 6 in the casing 1 and to bedetachably held in engagement therewith by a set screw, 12. The tubularshaft, 9, is preferably formed in two sections, the upper section ofwhich is adapted to telescopically engage the lower section, therebyproviding means whereby said tubular shaft may be lengthened orshortened when desired. On the upper end of the inner section of thetubular shaftQ is secured a right-angularly projecting leaf supportingarm, 13, on the inner end of which is formed a right-angularlyprojecting apertured ear, 14, which eXtends over the upper end of theshaft 8. On the shaft 8 between the ear 14 and the upper end ofthetubular shaft, 9, is mounted a short sleeve 15, the bore of which issquared to fit the squared shaft 8, with which the sleeve 15 is slidablyengaged. On the sleeve 15 is rigidly secured a second right-angularlyprojecting leaf supporting arm, 16, which is adapted to Cir be turned.in one direction` or the other by means of the shaft S which engages thesleeve, 15, as hereinbefore described. On the upper side ofthe arm 16,adjacent to its in ner end is mounted a spring pawl or dog 17 which isadapted to engage one of a series of notches, 13, formed in the adjacentside or edge of the shaft, S, thus providing means whereby the arms, 13and 16, are held at the desired elevations for supporting the leaves orsheets of music. The arms 13 and 16 are provided adjacent to their outerends with suitable clips, 19, which are adapted to be engaged with theupper edges of the sheets or leaves of music.

On the lower end of the stub shaft 4, within the casing 1, is fiXedlymounted a sprocket gear pinion, 20, while on the lower end of the shorttubular shaft, 6, is 'liXedly mounted a sprocket pinion, 21. In theinner end of the casing, 1, are pivotally mounted the upper ends of twomain operating shafts, 22 and 23, the shaft 23 being of tubular form andadapt# ed to receive the shaft, 22, which works loosely therein. Thelower end of the shaft, 22, is loosely mounted in a bracket, 24, securedto a portion of the framework of the piano. On the upper end of theshaft, 22, in the casing, 1., is lixedly mounted a sprocket gear pinion,25, which is connected by a sprocket chain, 26, with the sprocket gear21, on the lower end of the tubular stub shaft, 6, at the opposite endof the casing, 1. On the upper end of the tubular shaft, 23, within. theeasing, 1, is fiXedly mounted a sprocket gear pinion, 27, which isconnected by a sprocket chain, 2S, with the sprocket gear pinion, 20, onthe lower end of the stub shaft, 4, at the opposite end of the casing.

On the shaft, 22, adjacent to its lower end is fXedly mounted a bevelgear pinion, 29, while on the lower end of the tubular shaft, 13, isiixedly mounted a bevel gear pinion, 30. 31, in the lower portion of thebracket, 24, is a segmental plate, 32, on which is formed an innersegmental rack, 33, and an outer segmental rack, 34. The segmentalplate, 32, is adapted to be oscillated on the shaft, 31, to bring 'firstone and then the other of the racks, 33 and 34 into engagement with thebevel gear pinions, 29 and 30, on the lower end of the shafts 22 and 23,whereby first one and then the other of said shafts is rotated.. Whenthe rack 33 is brought into engagement with the gear 29 to rotate theshaft, 22, the motion of said shaft will be imparted through the gear25, sprocket chain, 26, and gear, 21., to the tubular stub shaft, 6,thereby turning said shaft and the tubular shaft, 9, on the upper end ofwhich is mounted the leaf supporting arm, 13, thereby swinging said.arm, 13, in one direction or the other and turning the leaf to which thearm is connectcd. Vlfhen the rack 34 is brought into Pivotally mountedon the stub shaft,

engagement with the gear, 30, the latter, to-

gether with the tubular shaft, 23, will be turned thereby and theinoyen'ient of said shaft 23 will be imparted through the gear, 27,sprocket chain 23 and gear 20 to the stub shaft, 4, thereby turning thesame and the shaft, 3, which is connected thereto, as clearly shown inFig. 3 of the drawings. The shaft S, having mounted thereon, near itsupper end, the leaf supporting arm, 16, the latter ,will turn by themovemen t of' said shaft in one direction or the other, thus turning theleaf to which the arm is coimected.

The segmental plate, 32, has connected to its opposite lower cornersoperating rods, 35 and 36, the lower ends of which are piyotallyconnected to the inner ends of operating pedals, 37 and 33, which aresuitably mounted in the lower portion of the piano 'frame and. projecttherefrom in position to be engaged by the feet of the player.

ln the operation of the device, when it is desired to turn the leaves ofthe music to the right, the pedal, 37, is depressed. or forced half-waydown, which movement will project the operating rod, 35, upwardly,thereby turning the segmental plate, 32, to engage the rack, 34, withthe gear, 30, which will turn the shaft, 23, to cause the sprocketwheel, 27, on the upper end thereof to operate the chain, 23, and thesprocket wheel, 2t), on the lower end of the shaft, 4, thereby impartingmovement to the shaft, 3, and the music leaf supporting arm, connectedthereto, as hereinbefore described. A further downward movement of thepedal, 37, will cause the rack, 33, to be engaged with the pinion, 29,which will operate the saine and the shaft, 22, the motion of which willbe imparted to the tubular shaft, 9, through the sprocket gears, 25 and21, and the chain, 26, thereby turning said shaft, 9, and the leafsupporting arm, 13, connected to the upper end thereof, which will turnthe leaf connected. thereto, as hereinbefore described. lhen it isdesired to turn the leaves back to the original position, the oppositepedal, 3S, is depressed in the same manner as described in the operationof the pedal, 27, thereby turning the segmental plate back in a reversedirection, which will engage the racks, 33 and 34, with the gears, 29and 30, causing the saine and. the parts operated thereby to turn in areverse diret tion, which will turn the leaves back to their originalpositions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by lietters-Patent, is:

1. In a music leaf turner for pianos, inner and outer main operatingshafts, means whereby said shafts are turned by the 'feet of theplayer', a plurality of leaf turning arms, inner and outerarm-supporting shafts adapted to support said leaf-turning arms, andmeans whereby said operating shafts are ice connected with saidsupporting shafts to turn the same and the leaf-turning arms connectedthereto, substantially as described.

2. In a music leaf turner of the character described, inner and outermain operating shafts, a beveled gear pinion on the lower end of each ofsaid shafts, segmental operating racks adapted toengage said pinions,

means whereby said segmental racks are ac-` tuated by the feet of theplayer, a plurality of leaf turning arms, inner and outer sup- .portingshafts adapted to support said arms i 'of leaf turning arms, inner andouter supporting shafts adapted to support said arms and toindependently move the same to turn the leaves connected thereto, asupporting casing adapted to be arranged in the framework of the piano,inner and outer stub shafts revolubly mounted in said casing, means todetachably connect the lower end of said arm supporting shafts with saidstub shafts, and sprocket gearing adapted to operatively connect thelatter with said main operating shafts, substantially as described.

4. In a music leaf turner of the character described, inner and outermain operating shafts, a beveled gear pinion on the lower end of each ofsaid shafts, segmental operating gears adapted to engage said pinions,means whereby said segmental gears are actuated by the fee't of theplayer, a plurality of leaf turning arms, inner and outer supportingshafts adapted to support said arms and to independently move the sameto turn the leaves connected thereto, a supporting casing adapted to bearranged in the framework of the iano, inner and outer stub shaftsrevolub y mounted in said casing,

means to detachably connect the lower end of said arm supporting shaftswith said stub shafts, sprocket pinions on the lower ends of said innerand outer stubshafts, sprocket gears on the upper end of said inner andlouter main operating shafts, and sprocket chains to connect the gears onsaid main shafts with the gears on said stub shafts, substantially asdescribed. A

5. In a music leaf turner, inner and outer main o erating shafts, abeveled gear pinion on the ower end of each of said shafts, a pivotallymounted segmental rack plate, inner and outer segmental racks on saidplate adapted to engage said pinions, foot pedals, operating rodsadapted to connect one of said pedals with one side of said segmentalplate and the other pedal with the opposite side thereof, whereby saidracks are turned first one way and then the other, a plurality of leafturning arms, supporting shafts adapted to support and turn said arms,and means whereby said supporting arms are actuated by said mainoperating shaft, substantially as described. 4

6. In amusic leaf turner for pianos, inner and outer main operatingshafts, means whereby said shafts are turned by the feet of the player,a plurality of leaf turning arms, an inner arm supporting shaft, anouter tubular arm sup orting shaft arranged around said inner shafrt andformed in telescopic sections whereby the same may be extended on saidinner shaft, means to adjustably connect one of said arms with saidinner shaft and to hold said outer tubular shaft in its eX- tendedposition, and means whereby said main operating shafts are operativelyconnected to said inner and outer arm supporting shafts to turn firstone and then the other in either direction substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setl my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSHUA P. SESSEMAN.

Witnesses:

W. B. I'IAINEs, W. M. PoLLooK.

